The Udun
The Udun are the most numerous of the non-human races inhabiting the Trafalgar Rain forest. They are the children of the goddess Mar and are nationally known to be clever, wise, impish, and fearless. Physical Character Build: Solid and stocky but lithe by Mannish standards. They have a notable perfect symmetry that makes them physically appealing to other species. Coloring: Naturally darkly tanned with clear, amber eyes that shine faintly in the dark. Hair colors naturally run from blonde to white, but as a whole they are very fond of dyeing their hair every color and shade under the sun, a process they invented. Endurance: Tenacious. They are able to swing through trees in pursuit of a goal for 48 hours before needing to stop and rest. Sadly, they don't move as well over land and move at half the same rate as humans do. Height: Men average 3' 2" inches tall and weight 80 pounds. Females average 3' tall and weigh 60 pounds. Lifespan: Long lived. They live an average of 250 years and are considered mature at 30. Resistance: Superhuman. Their goddess creator vowed that no child of hers should ever suffer being afraid, and as a result the Udun are completely unaffected by fear. They don't feel it, but this doesn't make them silly, foolish or rob them of caution. They cannot under any circumstance be affected by any magic, special ability, or psionic power that causes fear on any level. Hardy and tenacious, they aren't affected by common ailments such as colds or the flu. Special Abilities: The eyesight of the Udun is so acute that they have perfect, 3D color vision even in the darkest nights or the most minimum light source, though they cannot see in total darkness. Their large ears ensure they have very acute hearing, they can hear a whispered conversation at 75 feet. Their feet, often bare, have opposable thumbs which aids them in climbing with tremendous speed. Their tails are prehensile to aid in climbing, they can move along ropes or narrow ledges without fear f falling. Their tails can act as a third arm to hold tools and weapons. Culture Lifestyle: The Udun dwell in underground two or three room burrows called warrens, which are always marked by brightly colored doors in hillsides or among the gnarled roots of the rain forest's giant trees. They use clever irrigation techniques to ensure that no flooding occurs during the rain forest's rainy season in September through January. They are an industrious people, spending much of their working time operating inns and restaurants for the frequent visitor or tourist, tending to their gardens and farms, and wrangling the tiny Ulu, a two foot tall breed of Mos cow. When work is done they enjoy relaxing with fishing, napping in hammocks, or playing games. They involve themselves in their favorite pastime as often as they can: cooking and eating. The Udun's love of food is legendary. They eat six full meals a day and snack in between. Udun cuisine is so tasty that it has made Udun hamlets tourist destinations, produced many celebrity Udun chefs, and practically guarantees that any Udun leaving home will find work in a kitchen in whatever town they end up in. Dishes such as sweet and sour Mos, deep-friend eggplant, and mixed berry pie are favorites that draw in tourists constantly. Clothing and Decoration: Among themselves and when they have no other-species visitors the Udun men and women alike will adorn themselves only in a simple loincloth because of the rain forest's immense humidity, or go nude. The Udun have no sexual taboos so the sight of a nude body, breasts, or genitalia does not titillate them. They understand that other cultures do have such taboos, though, and so will adorn themselves in loose colorful tunics. They don't like wearing shoes or having their legs covered. Udun are very fond of dyeing their hair a spectrum of colors using a process they invented and disseminated throughout the nation. Choice of color depends on mood but sometimes serves a specific function, such as display one's Calling or general attitude: red or pink indicated an Udun whom is one of the Disciplined, green indicates availability for romancing, purple a commitment of some kind. Outside of the Udun culture, it's difficult to pin down what the color choice may mean, if it means anything at all. Fears and Inabilities: No fears at all, the species simply can't experience the emotion, though they do understand it and it's effect on others. Their primary weakness is their height. They mush have weapons and tools especially made for their size, which can be difficult in a Mannish community. Their senses are also a weakness. A sudden flash of light or loud noise can leave them blind or deaf for a few minutes. Marriage Pattern: Monogamous and for life, and it's the woman whom chooses her mate, called a finn. When the female reaches reproductive age in her late teens she develops an intuitive sense of which male is her ideal finn, both emotionally and genetically. Once this potential finn is located, which may takes years of waiting, the female merely pounces with no announcement or fanfare. Once the male accepts the proposal, he becomes the finn. The line is traced through the male. It is not uncommon for the woman to find her perfect finn in a male of an entirely different species. Men, Duridan, Kalzov, and ever Urudun have found themselves pounced. It is only the very cruel or heartless man that will refuse the proposal. Refusal plunges the female into an immediate deep severe depression. She will not eat or drink anything and remain depressed until she finally dies a few weeks later. These inter-species couplings do not produce any children owing to genetic incompatibility. Religion: The Udun are not religious in the traditional sense; instead, they are very spiritual. They have a greater understanding of cosmic cause and effect than many other species do, and hold themselves accountable to karma: good acts bring good karma, foul acts deliver devastating karmic retribution. They have only one annual religious event called The Feste, where they hold tournaments and baking competitions as well as tremendous feasting all in honor to Mar. To the Udun it is a once in a lifetime event that the goddess herself actually attends and sits in her place of honor. Other Factors Demeanor: The Udun are cheerful, excitable, curious, prone to playing pranks, and, ultimately, intimately hospitable. Guests are greeted with cheerful hellos and then plied with food until they simply can't eat another bite. They are often perced as frivolous or flighty but they are nothing of the kind. When business calls for an Udun to be serious, serious he is. The Udun are unfailingly loyal to their friends, and a Udun finn or wife of a finn will fight to the death to protect the spouse. Language: Among themselves, the Udun speak a high-pitched, chirpy dialect called Melodan. All Udun learn Dunnish, and many choose to speak an additional language or dialect as well. Other Names: They are known as Little Folk, Wee Folk, Good People, Halflings, and Pecs (vulgar). Among the elves of Uriel they are known as the Joybaltha (Q."Children of Laughter") Relations with Others: Universally good. The Udun are well-liked by all of the Free Peoples, and are accepted into their societies warmly. It is almost impossible to find a non-Udun town or city that doesn't have a large Udun population. Restrictions on Callings: The Udun never produce Untouchables. Common Vocations: Udun usually select Vocations that somehow serve others and the community. They are often found as Scribes, Cooks, Chefs, Artists, Servants, and Taskmasters. Other Skills and Talents: Because of their natural amazing agility, they can often find work as acrobats. That same agility, plus their small stature, makes them harder to hit in combat. They're fast enough to dodge arrows if they see the shot coming.